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Saturday, January 29, 2011

I wanted to post another photo of the original quilt so you could see the quilting. I did my first Midnight Stars the same way and am very happy with it. The quilting pattern is called hanging diamonds which you can see in the diagram below. Because the horizontal lines make no rhyme or reason I started with the diagonal lines, going through the center of the block, then next to the outside half square triangle, then between blocks (in the ditch) and continuing throughout the quilt.

Then I stitch horizontal through the center of my setting squares.Taking the measurements of how far apart the quilting was diagonally I measured and marked the same distance from my horizontal line on both sides not even looking at where the sewing lines went through the block.

A lot of you may not be able to do this but I think it gave my block a bit of old fashioned charm. Let me know if you need clarification.

I finished one whole side and a corner block of my Jane Stickle quilt. I actually enjoyed more than I thought I would. My photos are a bit washed out. There's not a lot to see anyway.

I decided it was easiest for me to stitch in the ditch down each side of the triangles, then do two sort of V shape quilting on the plain ones.

I'm taking each triangle as it is and just quilting whatever it calls for. I figure as long as it does the job of holding three layers together then I'm good!
It has been so much fun re-visiting the fabric variety. I cannot even remember what is under the folded and basted edge. Did I mark scallops?? LOL

Friday, January 28, 2011

Here is my Midnight Stars 2. I opted to hand quilt this one with a large all over fan. I have a hunch I'll quilt in between the fans. I'm always looking for a shortcut- sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I think after I wash this I'll decide it will look better with closer quilting. I think it would have looked great with red binding but I love the cheddar next to the dark blue.

If you haven't already got your top together, you will soon!

Taking your cheddar outer triangles sew them to each side of a red Ohio star. Press and add the other two sides. (sorry, I guess I forgot to get a photo of that block together) Make 5 of these. Using your red outer triangles sew them to your cheddar Ohio stars using the same process. Make 4 of these. Your blocks should measure 5 1/2". Lay them out alternating your cheddar and red blocks.

Cut four (4) 5 1/2" setting squares. For the side triangles cut 2 squares that measure 8 1/2", then cut them twice on the diagonal to make 8 quarter triangles. For the corners cut two (2) squares 4 1/2" then cut once on the diagonal for 4 half triangles. These measurements will be a tad larger to insure you get a good 1/4" seam allowance around the outside of the quilt.

Monday, January 24, 2011

I got the binding on my churn dash, which I have renamed Church Dash because of my poor typing skills! My friend Sally B quilted it for me. I love the fans!!

I like that not every block looks like a churn dash although they are assembled the same way.

I'm back to hand quilting my DJ quilt in the evenings. I'll use my Hera marker to mark the plain triangles. I didn't have it last year (which was the last time I had it out!) I am hoping to keep quilting on this until I get one whole side finished, then I'll rotate back to Beyond The Cherry Tree blocks.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Here is my first Midnight Stars done with the smaller blocks. I machine quilted it because with the fabric I used for the setting squares it was going to be difficult to see the quilting anyway. The binding is in cheddar and I love it.

At my mini retreat last week my friend asked me if the squares above were supposed to be half square triangles! I got a good laugh out of that. Yes they are! And that's another reason I call my blog Humble Quilts!! I love them! That's the other reason we made larger blocks.
Ready for the next step?

From red cut 20 squares 1 3/8".
For the center squares you will need 9 squares that measure 2 1/4". It's up to you if you want them all the same or alternating with another blue print.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

This is the first quilt I got the binding on this week. You can read about on Sue's blog and if interested please email her to purchase a pattern. Her friend Sue, drafted this mini quilt from an old cushion. It isn't my usual style of quilts but I love the muted charm of it.

Sue even had the quilting patterns, which I followed fairly close. I had planned on hand quilting this but already have too many hand projects. I think the machine quilting turned out pretty good. You should be able to click on the photo to get a better look.

I went on a little mini retreat at my friend's last week and she has always loved this little floral jewel. We chose some lovely fabrics and she whipped this beauty up in no time.

Here is another small quilt I finished. Kathie sent me a little kit to make it up. I machine quilted between the hst and did a simple cable in the border. I also practiced machine sewing the binding down. My friend, Randy, always does such a nice job and uses a decorative stitch. I didn't have a stitch I liked that much and it seemed to make my binding really flat. It was fun to try something new, although I think I'll stick to hand sewing.

Monday, January 17, 2011

I'm planning on adding some buttons down the center and making a few more snowflakes.

Simple addition to the row houses.

A little autumn vignette.

If you'd like to learn more about Wool Crazy please check out JoAnn Mullaly's blog. I ordered the book through Country Loft. She has a new book out called Crazy at Home that I want to get my hands on!!

My next rotation of handwork projects was quilting my Jane Stickle, but I did manage to get three quilt bindings on so I am going to start on them tonight!! Woo-Hoo that means 3 quilts almost done!!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Ok, now we need to make 36 flying geese. From indigo cut eighteen (18) 2 1/8" squares then cut on the diagonal to make 36 half square triangles.

From the shirting cut nine (18) 2 1/2" squares then cut on the diagonal twice to make 72 quarter square triangles.

(You'll see my "shirting" is actually tea dyed muslin. Since I'm making another in the size I am doing on the blog I wanted to try something a bit different.)

Line up the piece on the bottom and the side, sew and press.

Do the same for the other side and trim that dog ear.

Typically flying geese units are twice the length as the height. Our flying geese are not typical. Making sure you keep 1/4" seam allowance where the background meets in the center, trim so it measures
2 1/4" x 1 3/8". Ta-Da! Done!!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Here is my latest handiwork project. It feels great to be working with wool again!!

I like to add my applique pieces and then do the embellishing.

This is my fall and winter square. Although you may not be able to tell right now what some of this is supposed to be, hopefully it won't be too long until it will look familiar.

Another little autumn corner with an empty cornucopia.

Giant size snowman compared to my houses!!

So after feeling like I needed an extra hand or two or three, I decided to rotate my hand work projects. Basically, I have Wool Crazy, Beyond the Cherry Tree applique, hand quilting my Jane Stickle quilt, then misc...mostly consisting of hand quilting small projects. I figured three or four days for each project should let me enjoy each one of them. I'm not in any hurry to finish, but love them all and want to work on all at the same time!

My other plan is to always have an applique block ready to take with me. It seems to be the most portable project.

Thank you all for your wonderful tips and suggestions. I appreciate it so much!

Monday, January 10, 2011

From shirting cut 36 squares 2 1/8”, then cut on the diagonal to make 72 triangles

Attach to one side of your half square triangles, press, then attach to the other side. Make sure you are sewing on the blue triangle. (or whatever color you have chosen)

You should end up with 36 of these units.

Thank you to those who have shared about the quiltalong on your blog. I'd be a happy camper if one person followed along, but it is nice to know that many of you are making it.

Feel free to use your own color choices! That is what makes quilting so much fun. I'll use McLinky again at the end so we can see all the versions.

There was a lot of football watching going on at my house this weekend so I was able to finish Bonnie's Roll Roll Cotton boll mystery quilt. The border really ties it all together,. The directions were fantastic! Thank you Bonnie!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

I finished the top in the nick of time to get the final step and border tomorrow. And yes, two sections of half square triangles are on wrong. I can live with it. I messed up one of the blocks too and put a different pink half on another pink half and I can live with that too! This has been fun but I am ready to slow the pace. Thanks Bonnie!!

Here is another block from Beyond the Cherry Tree.

You all had some great suggestions for organizing and working on my hand projects. Thank you all so much who commented. I have a plan and hope to share that when the mystery frenzy is over.

Because I am keeping the parts to Midnight Stars fairly simple I'll plan on posting step 2 on Monday.

Layer the 2 cheddar squares and one rectangle right sides together with 2 blue squares and the blue rectangle. Layer the two red squares with the remaining 2 blue squares, right sides together.

I use my hera marker to score lines running diagonal on all pieces. I used pen on the rectangle so you see it. Sew on both sides of scored/drawn lines 1/4" away.

You can easily chain piece these.

Do not press yet. Cut as shown in the photo below.

Cut diagonally both ways, then horizontal and vertical through the centers. Just in case you don't know what a hera marker is I put it in the photo. I love mine!

Now press the seams toward the blue and trim to 1 3/4" square. You should have 20 cheddar and blue hst and 16 red and blue hst.

Maybe you only have a strip of fabric and not a square? You can make the hst the traditional way by cutting your squares 2 1/8" then cut in half on the diagonal. Piece your cheddar/blue and red/blue half square triangles. Trim those dumb dog ears...

Ta-da! Wasn't that easy? I have been putting pressure on myself while working on the mystery quilt that this will be slow and fun. I'll be back within a week to post step two.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I know there are a lot of fun projects going on in blogland right now. Here is one more!!

The first three photos are the old quilt I was inspired by to make the doll quilt.

I love the way the way the cheddar and red dance across the top of this quilt.

Here is the one I made using 4" blocks. It is about 23" square. The blocks were too small and I lost a lot of points!! I have it basted and ready to quilt. (hmmm, one more hand project!)

So I tried a 6" block- Too BIG! A 5" block looks just right!!

The doll quilt we will make will be 3 x 3 for a total of nine blocks and will finish about 21 1/2" square. Perfect size for a doll!!

On the quilt I made with the 4" blocks I alternated the blue center square on the stars. I kept the dark blue on the stars the same but used a different one for the half square triangles.

On the 5" rendition that I am making I will alternate the center squares and keep the other blues in the block the same. My suggestion is to use a small print of shirting for the stars. They are fairly small pieces and the print will show up better. I am using a different shirting for the outer triangles.

It is going to be your quilt- you decide what you want.

What you will need as far as fabric?- not much. These are estimates, and it depends on how many blues you decide to use.

Cheddar and Red- 1/8 yard or half of a FQer

Blue center of star- approx 12"x3" strip, and 10x3" of a different indigo